Why Use Instant Contact Adhesives?

There are many different types of adhesive used for all kinds of situations. However, when you are sticking things to a ceiling or wall it can be difficult to find one that works. This is because of three factors. Firstly, adhesive is a liquid and before it sets it can end up dripping down a wall or from a ceiling. Secondly, a lot of adhesives need to have the two materials held as tightly as possible for the bond to form properly. It can often be extremely difficult to hold the material to the substrate for an extended period of time, risking injury. Thirdly, an extremely strong bond is required to hold certain materials unaided when suspended from a wall or a ceiling. 

Fortunately, instant contact adhesives like Evo-Stik Instant Contact Adhesive solve this issue. Combining rubber, resin and solvents, these adhesives tick all three boxes: they are non-stick, allowing them to be safely used on walls or ceilings, they are exceptionally fast-acting, meaning you don’t need to hold them in place, and they provide a top-tier bond that allows them to secure objects by themselves.

How to apply Instant Contact Adhesives

This guide will explain how to apply Evo-Stik Instant Contact Adhesive. Other instant contact adhesives might have slightly different requirements. Note that, like many adhesives, Evo-Stik Instant Contact Adhesive does not work well on porous surfaces, with unplasticised PVC, soft vinyls, bituminous substances or soft plastics like polyethylene or polypropylene. It is not gap-filling.

You will need:

• Safety gloves and safety goggles
• Evo-Stik Instant Contact Adhesive
• Serrated Trowel
• Sandpaper (if the surface is smooth)
• Wonder Wipes (if the surface is dirty)
• Acetone

When applying the adhesive you should wait for a dry, warm day for the best results. Since this adhesive is solvent-based and may let off fumes, make sure the area you are applying it in is well ventilated. 

If the surface is unusually smooth and/or dirty or greasy you will need to prepare it. First remove any dirt, grime or grease with wonder wipes and wait for it to dry. If it is smooth, then proceed to use fine-grain sandpaper to rough it up a little. 

Following this, use a serrated trowel to apply the Evo-Stik Instant Contact Adhesive over the whole surface area, both on the substrate and the material. Depending on the particulars of the substrate you should be able to get at least 4m² and potentially up to 6m² per litre. Now you need to leave it for 25 to 35 minutes so the bond will be ready to form.

After this, apply the material to the substrate within 10 minutes. Align the material first before making any contact. Push extremely hard for a few seconds, applying pressure to every part of the material. Then the bond will form. 

After this, you can use a solvent cleaner like acetone to remove any spillover, though you should remember to check that it will not degrade whatever it is you are cleaning.